Freedom
by SladeRavenFan
Summary: "I will never let you go," Slade hissed. Raven's eyes narrowed. "Then I will never obey you." The mastermind smirked. "Child, why do you speak such lies?" The Brotherhood of Evil are after Raven, but is that the reason why Slade is after her too? Preseason 4.
1. Chapter 1: First Contact

**Hello, fellow readers!**

**I don't think I'm going anywhere with Change, but here's Freedom. I think it's better, and I've actually planned it. That means, I swear to God I'll finish this fic even if it takes years. You see, I'm on FictionPress too and school starts in two weeks so, yeah, it'll get busy.**

**This is dedicated to all the wonderful people I've met on fanfiction, and to my beta reader XLucy0117X.**

**Read on, duckies.**

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Chapter 1: First Contact  
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"I'll only be gone for a few hours," Raven said, already walking out the door.

"Tell us again where you're going," Robin ordered, concern etched onto his face.

The empath rolled her eyes, before turning around to glare at her leader. It was times like these that his overly serious demeanour annoyed her.

"Relax, Boy Wonder," she mockingly commanded. "I'm only going to the library and I'll be back before ten, if that's what you're so worried about." That made his domino mask widen, while Raven let out a satisfied smirk. Maybe it was because it was only one in the afternoon, or that she was so openly brushing him off.

"Let one of us come with you, Rae. Or let Cy take you," he pleaded.

"Say no," mouthed Cyborg, overhearing their conversation. He wildly flailed his arms, making sure to get her attention, while frantically shaking his head. Then, the cybernetic turned around to finish the race, with Beast Boy's car lagging dramatically behind.

"WINNER!" The TV blared.

"Booyah!" he yelled, having forgotten his previous actions. Beast Boy, visibly angry, sank into the couch and threw his controller at Cyborg.

"No fair!" the green changeling moaned. "You cheated!"

They continued to bicker, yelling ridiculous phrases at eachother. But all knew not to fret, as their arguing was just a way to show their odd friendship. It acted similarly to a tradition, even if it was annoying.

Raven ignored them though, groaning, "Why are you so worried? I always go to the library."

That was what the problem was, Robin thought. Recently Raven had been going on these outings frequently, often alone. The sudden urge for her to go somewhere unaccompanied worried him, because he didn't know why she wanted to go. Still, he didn't need to tell her that.

"Please, friend Robin. Raven shall be okay. She is most capable of defending herself," Starfire said, lightly touching his arm. He softened.

"Sorry," the Boy Wonder apologised, sending a sheepish smile to his dark teammate. "I guess I'm just worried for you." His eyes became stern. "But call if there's any trouble, and stay safe."

"I can protect myself, Robin," she calmly reassured him, before finally walking out.

"I don't doubt that."

The sorceress regarded his sentence before walking out the door.

* * *

Raven sighed, feeling guilty. Robin had a right to be worried. She hadn't been going to the library every time she went out, but instead to Jump City's beach.

They'd defeated an enemy here, and she'd found the scene better than that of the library. Still, telling the others she came here would not only warrant some laughs from Beast Boy, but also arouse suspicion. Anybody knew Raven was not one for unnecessary attention.

She wrapped her cloak round herself as another, heavier gust of wind hit her. It was so peaceful. The sun sent warm rays on her back, while the chilly winds would cool them.

The area also looked as peaceful as it felt. Raven could see on for miles; the blue sea stretching on endlessly, cliff faces towering over her, the seagulls swooping down for food and so much more. No roads, no buildings, no cars. It was refreshing.

However, the scene close up was peaceful too. As she sat on the stairs, down to the beach, the empath could barely see any people. She enjoyed school and work hours, as they explained the lack of the public.

Still, the ones present only sent nods her way. It calmed her. The people weren't reacting how they would to Robin or the others, just silently acknowledging her. Not screaming and asking for an autograph, or (she grimaced) a date.

Raven jumped as her communicator rang. What did the Titans want now? She could tell by the ring it wasn't an alarm. Opening it, the word 'Unknown' showed on the screen. Her brow furrowed; usually the device knew every number in America. Who could it be?

The sorceress' curiosity piqued, seemingly the only thing egging her on to accept the call. There was a click as the line connected.

The face on the screen made her suppress a scream, coming out as a quiet gasp.

"S-Slade?"

What the hell was he doing? It was Robin he was usually after, so what was the reason to call _her _and not him? If Slade were the technical expert she guessed him to be, he'd be able to see her tracker to know she was not with the others. That meant there was no point to target her, right?

Unless that was exactly the point. To get her alone. Target her. But why? She doubted he even knew her name. The villain never bothered her as much as the others, and for good reason. She'd totally smush him.

Luckily, or hopefully, the Titans wouldn't trace her either. They knew she needed her privacy, and knew they should trust her words. They respected her. She was the strongest on the team. She could handle more than them.

Raven's eyes trailed back down to the screen, only to see Slade's eye meet hers. _Damn it_. She'd hoped it was a hallucination.

"Hello, Raven," the man hissed, sending shivers down her spine.

"Oh, so you do remember my name," she growled, glaring at him. The sorceress had decided to be bold for now, and laconic. She had no reason to fear the man. He wasn't even there, let alone in a place to beat her to a pulp.

He chuckled, almost making her jump.

"Why are you so surprised?"

"I don't know," Raven said, casually waving her hand, black sparks dancing off of it. "Maybe because you're normally after Robin?"

"Humourous," Slade responded, sounding as arrogant as he always did. She could feel his smirk without seeing it. "I thought that the green changeling was the 'jokester of the Titans'."

To add emphasis to his statement, he even added quote marks to the end, provoking a guttural sound from Raven. The man was trying to rile her up; get under her skin. Unfortunately for her, it was starting to work.

"What do you want from us now?" If anything, the empath was not going to make amiable conversation with this vile, evil man.

His eye gleamed, as if she had somehow pleased him, "That was rather blunt of you, my dear. I thought you were the well-mannered one."

"Not with the big bad supervillains," Raven remarked. "What do you want from the Titans, Slade?"

"Now, now, Raven," he chided. "I never said I wanted anything from the Titans."

She put the camera slightly more away from her face. If he didn't want something from the Titans...

"Then what _do_ you want?"

He laughed. She narrowed her eyes. What was so funny?

"It's quite obvious, my dear. But then again, you teenagers never seem to see what's in front of you."

The half demon snarled, obviously annoyed. She had endured enough of his vague and cryptic words. She wanted answers, not to play a game with this criminal.

"What do you want, Slade?" Raven repeated, this time gruffer than the last. Her patience was on a short fuse.

"You're clever, girl. Figure it out yourself."

The sorceress felt her temple throbbing. She didn't need to listen to this. "Just tell me!" she demanded, but Slade wasn't fazed by her loss of tolerance at all.

He shook his head and chuckled.

"Why should I? After all, as you put it, I am a 'big bad supervillain'. So isn't it unwise to tell my adversary my plans?"

"Yeah," she suddenly snorted, unimpressed. "Of world domination."

"You assume too much. Believe it or not, not every 'so called bad guy' has plans to rule the world," the criminal stated, narrowing his eye distastefully at her.

"Why can't you just tell me what you want?" her gravelly voice droned, a tone of exasperation seeping into it.

"You can't always have what you want, Raven." Who was he to tell her what she could and couldn't have? And if she couldn't...

"Then why can you?"

"Patience, Raven. In time, my plans shall reveal themselves." His regal posture and clipped words made her want to smack him in the face.

"Why did you call me in the first place, Slade, if you wanted to be so vague?" That meant, 'Why did you call if you only wanted to anger me?'

The wind picked up unexpectedly, making Raven shiver. Something wasn't right. As she looked around, the empath found the beach completely empty. What had happened to everyone?

Her senses picked up a calm yet sinister aura near her. Actually, it was very close.

Like... like it was... right behind her. A sense of dread enveloped her.

This time she couldn't help but jump when Slade himself walked next to her, shutting her communicator.

"This, my dear," he began, gesturing to himself and her. "Is only the beginning."

"Of what?" she asked, perturbed at how close he was to her. This was just... unreal. A super villain so near to her, it made her so... scared. The fear of the situation crashed over her like the waves did over the sand.

Raven hesitantly flew backwards, onto the sand, and off of the steps. Slade walked towards her just as slowly, seeming as though he didn't care whether she escaped or not. Either that, or he knew she wouldn't go.

"I'm impressed. You're not lunging in for a fight, unlike your hot-headed leader." Taking a compliment from him was similar to having a snake coil round herself. It was unpleasant, almost suffocating. And having him insult her leader, that was just intolerable. Who did he think he was? He had no right to!

"Tell me, Raven," he started, driving her away from her angry thoughts. "Why are you here?" It was a good question, she admitted. Why was she here? The sorceress knew the answer, but didn't want to say it aloud.

"I'm here just to... to..."

He interrupted. "-To be alone, correct?"

Slade was now a few steps away from her, staring intently into her eyes, awaiting an answer. Raven felt as though she was stuck, but the man took her lack of response as an agreement to what he said.

"Why would you want to be alone, and not in the company of the Titans? Oh no," he said with mock pity. "Did you have an argument?"

"I just want to be alone, and that's it," was her fierce response. "The Titans are, and always will be my friends, Slade."

"Friends are people you want to spend your time with, Raven. So why aren't you?"

"What are you trying to get at?" she asked, hardening her facial features. "I don't have to spend every waking moment with them." It was true. Friends weren't a full time thing. She had to be alone, to be in control. That was all it was.

"They do," he disagreed.

He was wrong, and that was final.

"No," she hissed, firmly. "Robin trains alone and Cyborg does the T-Car-"

"That may be so, my dear, but why did you go so far as to lie to them?"

"That's my business. Not yours. Everyone lies." Raven shook a little, now looking away from Slade's piercing eye. It figured he would know of her white lie. He knew everything, it seemed.

"There's no need to be so defensive, Raven. There's nothing to hide from me. Why do you hide 'this'," he gestured to the beach, "from them though?"

Again, she had no response. He already knew the answer. He just wanted to provoke her, make her angry and twist her words. So why say something?

"Ah, I understand," Slade said, as if they were best friends. "You're afraid of how they'll react."

"So?" the half demon asked, raising an eyebrow, but not denying what he'd said.

"So," Slade mimicked. "Aren't real friends meant to understand?"

"I know what you're doing, Slade." And it isn't going to work, she mentally added.

He feigned surprise. "Do you? Fine. What am I doing?"

"You're, um, you're trying to separate me from the Titans. Put doubt into me and get me away for your plans. It won't work." He did that to Terra too, didn't he? Blackmail to both her and Robin. Lies were all he said, and she couldn't believe them.

The criminal chuckled. "Accusations? Are we really so childish? I, my dear, am merely telling you the truth you don't want to hear. Face it, Raven. Soon, you'll see."

"See what?" she half shouted, over the increasing wind. It was strange. Raven could hear him perfectly, each word clear in her head. Herself she struggled to hear, each word unconfident and...

"I have plans for the both of us."

His sudden sentence made her look up, to see nothing but thin air. He was gone, but undoubtably still watching as the empath heaved a sigh of relief.

This wasn't the last she'd seen of Slade though, she knew. As he had said...

This was only the beginning.

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**Lame first chapter, but it's going how I want it to.**

**Please tell me what you thought and review, but yeah, I'd appreciate it if you ease up on any criticism. Big softie I am. Now, back to Person of Interest. And my inspiration for using the beach is my own experience at a beach last summer. It was really odd. So cold and numbing, not like island beaches, but an UK one. It was refreshing.**

**~SladeRavenFan**

**Rewritten: 26/3/13 **


	2. Chapter 2: Interrogation Tactics

**Hello, you wonderful people!**

**Have you noticed that this story has a front cover? I am proud to announce I got the image off google, but it ultimately is mine. Don't steal. I have this finger drawing app, so I got the picture down, and used my finger to draw things on and add words. I think I have Slade's insignia perfect. Finger drawn ;) I added some sky, some cloak (harder than it seems), the insignia, the red to the eyes and some more I forgot... Please, tell me what you think. You have to be on the regular site and zoom in!**

**Twelve reviews! Wow, fricking awesome. Thank you to all who reviewed and read or added to faves or alerts. Special thanks to: Tragon, bloodshark, Guest, The Amethyst Eyes, Guest, chinaluv, SailorSea, Waterpokemon, XLucy0117X (my awesome beta), BluEyedLightning, Knight of the Raven, and Guestsoguessx! You rock! And anonymous reviewers, please give yourself a name.**

**This chapter is a little less action than the last, but it's important.**

**Enjoy!**

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Chapter 2: Interrogation Tactics

Titans Tower was many things; a base of operations, a monument that demonstrated strength, a building that struck hope into the civilians' hearts, and a place that struck fear into the enemy's soul. Most importantly though, it was a home for five super powered teens.

Superheroes they were, but they were adolescents too. Luckily, the Tower had everything they needed. From their herbal tea to their game station, Titans Tower had a bedroom crafted specifically for each of their tastes.

All Titans had different preferences for their bedrooms; Starfire's bright and airy, Beast Boy's smelly and messy, Robin's organised and clean, Cyborg's metal and advanced, while Raven's was eccentric... and mysterious.

Within that last room, one shrouded in wonder and darkness, was the person who owned it. Raven.

Following her disturbing call from Slade, she'd immediately flown home to the familiar solace of her room. Of course she'd alerted the others of her hurried return, but disappeared quickly afterwards. Almost suspiciously.

A thousand troubled thoughts were gathering within the telepath's mind, but the words Slade had said repeated themselves like a rewinding tape. She needed to sleep it off. Meditating wouldn't work, she knew, so she'd lay down in her bed. Not that doing that was working, either.

His face flashed in her mind, making her shake her head, but to no avail. The image stayed, unrelenting to vanish.

'_This, my dear, is only the beginning..._' Slade hissed, the harshness of his voice echoing off the recesses in her mind. The man's menacing eye looked straight into her, into her soul. Raven shook her head again, grasping the duvet tightly.

'_Why are you here?_' the voice of her nightmares asked, sounding as though he was right beside her. A pillow that she had knocked onto the floor exploded, but she didn't notice. The empath felt like she was still at the beach, drowning in the numbing cold and fear.

'_To be alone..._' To Raven's horror, it was not Slade that uttered the words, but herself. Her tone was high, shaky, and... scared. It was also so terribly alone...

_'Friends are people you want to spend you time with, Raven..._' At this, her brow furrowed. He was right. Friends were people you were meant to enjoy being with, whereas she shook them off and ignored them...

_No!_ Logic screamed. _What would he know? He has no friends!_

Then why was he telling _her_, of all people? She shuddered. The way he said her name... It was just awful. Painful, even. It made her squeamish and uncomfortable. He sounded like he _knew_ her, like he could see behind everything.

'_Why did you go so far as to lie to them?_' Slade was a manipulative mastermind, the half demoness knew. The words sounded staged. Planned to confuse her and question her actions. If she knew this, then why was it working?

She had known lying to her friends was wrong. What was worse was that she knew it was, yet still did it regardless. Guilt consumed her as she tightened her hold on the duvet, her pale knuckles turning white.

'_You're afraid of how they'll react..._' His voice sounded so real it frightened her, but that wasn't the only scary thing. His words also sounded... true. She shook her head even harder. Raven couldn't believe him. Wouldn't believe him.

'_I have plans for the both of us..._' His final words. The ones that meant the most. Plans... for both of them. Her, and him. He had to include her. That's why he called her. She was the new target, the new project.

That made Raven shut her eyes. She had to stop thinking, stop remembering. Stop remembering all the words, and the empty beach, and him in front of her while she tried to back away but...

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Hey, Rae," Cyborg began, and Raven could almost see him scratching his bald head nervously through the door. His voice sounded startlingly kind compared to the one whispering in her head.

He was about to call her name again when he received no response, but the door opened a few cracks to reveal the somber girl. Cyborg gave her a hearty smile, ignoring the awkwardness of the situation.

"What is it, Cy?"

"Look, Rae, we're all worried about you. You left so quickly and we all ain't so sure you're okay," the cybernetic stated, apprehensively.

"I'm fine," she reassured her friend, before beginning to close the door. The robot hastily put his foot in between the gap, stopping her.

"I don't believe that crap about being okay. You're not, and I know you ain't gonna tell me why, but..." He sighed. "We're your friends, and you can tell us anything. We'll help you. This ain't just me saying this, it's all of us. Teen Titans is a team. We stick together."

Raven gave a small, honest smile at her surrogate big brother.

"Thank you, but just... not now."

"Anytime, girl!" The cyborg gave her a big grin. "Hey," he began. "I was wondering if you wanna go a -"

Slam.

Dammit. She'd shut the door on him. Still, Cyborg was happy he'd gotten a response out of her. Subconsciously he rubbed his head, stopping when he noticed. The teen thought he could hear muffled breathing through the door.

"Okay!" he said, loud enough for her to hear. "I take that as a no." With that, he took off down the corridor, a game of stank ball with a certain green changeling on his mind.

Meanwhile, behind the door Raven smirked. Slade was wrong. She was their friend, and would always be, even when she shut them away and ignored them. _Take that._

**A week ago, somewhere under Jump City (a/n, before the occurrence of chapter 1)**

_"You may enter, Cheshire," Slade's voice calmly called out, ricocheting off the walls to reach the ears of the French and Vietnamese assassin._

_She walked in, her green kimono accentuating her long, flowing black hair that was often used as a weapon. Her mask grinned at him like a Cheshire cat, as the assassin finally reached her employer's metal throne._

_Within the criminal underworld, Slade was the ruler of it. But, Jump City's vast amount of criminals was too much for even him to watch over himself. _

_He had eyes and ears hired for him, a job that came with many benefits, such as avoiding a suspicious death, bail outta jail and generous pay to supplement it all._

_Still, even though the criminal mastermind had many associates, and many connections, it didn't mean he trusted them all. Cheshire was young, talented and an individual, perfect for his use. Above all that, he could trust her. _

_"You're alive?" she exclaimed, surprised. "I thought your message was just a prank."_

_He chuckled, surprising her again. _

_"Did you expect anything less, my dear? Terra sent me to hell, but let's just say I managed to escape. I'm far from Death's stroke now."_

_She nodded, in supposed awe._

_"Enough of the idle banter. Tell me what it is that you have to report."_

_"Crime has been quiet in Jump City," she began. "Too quiet, as you can tell. People have received warning to not pull anything to do with the Titans. Nothing at all. The consequence is death. I followed who sent these orders, and came to listen to the gathering of four well known super villains. They are feared by most, it seems."_

_"Who were they?"_

_"General Immortus, Brain, Monsieur Mallah and one who called herself Madam Rouge. The Brain has acted as the leader."_

_Slade inwardly laughed. These were well known criminals to him, which individually he knew he could easily defeat. But if they were together... They were scheming something. Something big if they had to scare the whole crime network._

_"What are they plotting, Cheshire?" _

_She hesitated, rethinking over what she'd seen. "A satanic cult leader called Trigon contacted the Brain, projecting out to the four through him. He promised them the world, if they helped him into it. They agreed. Fools," she remarked, Slade having the patience to overlook it._

_Trigon the Terrible was not unheard of to him. An intergalactic demon decimating whole planets and dimensions, and taking some as his own. But of course, those four incompetents didn't know that._

_"How?" _

_"A girl. Raven, of the Teen Titans. She is a 'portal' to him, he said. His do gooder daughter who doesn't want her father coming to Earth. They capture her and bring her to a location, and they win."_

_He took a moment for his brain to mull over the information. So, it appeared Raven had the ability to bring him to Earth. Such an amazing amount of power, locked into such a small, overlooked girl... It was imponderable. The possibilities were endless._

_But what about Trigon and the foursome's plan? He would not have that demon come in and destroy all he had done on Earth. He would not allow idiots to rule him, that is if they even got their side of the bargain. He'd been to hell, and Slade had no intention of returning._

_His first priority was to stop them, and the man already knew how to. He'd acquire their target himself._

_Cheshire stood rigidly in front of him, holding out her hand and waiting for her payment._

_"Not yet," he calmly stated. "One last question, Jade. What do they call themselves?"_

_"That's easy," she commented._

_"The Brotherhood of Evil."_

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**Thanks for reading, and please review. I love reading what everyone writes and answering any questions you have, so don't hesitate. Ask if you didn't understand anything and I'll PM to explain, but I can't answer questions about the plot. Anyone noticed I've updated twice on a friday at midnight (on saturday basically). Not for long... Back to school soon. Thank you,**

** ~SladeRavenFan**


	3. Chapter 3: Battle of the Brains

**How are my lovely readers?**

**Back in school... And it's going to be interesting. There's good and bad things, but I'll deal and have faith that everything will be okay. I'll try and update weekly, every Friday night in the UK.**

**Special thanks to my talented beta: XLucy0117X. And thanks for all the follows, faves and reviews; discb, chinaluv, SailorSea, Tragon, BluEyedLightning, Waterpokemon, XLucy0117X, Merophe (x2), bloodshark, lollimint and last but not least, Knight of the Raven. You're all amazing and your reviews make my day ;)**

**To the anonymous reviewer bloodshark, since you haven't a account I'll reply here. I can't answer your questions, because I feel it'd ruin the plot for you. Sorry...**

**Enjoy!**

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Chapter 3: Battle of the Brains

"Who did you say it was?" Raven asked, worry and fear seeping slightly into her voice. Luckily, within his anguish, Robin didn't notice.

"_Slade_," he repeated, saying the name as if it were foul poison. She agreed whole heartedly with that description. "He's attacking the mine!"

"Calm down, man," Cyborg said, clamping his hand on his leader's shoulder. "We'll stop him this time."

"I just don't get it, guys," Robin sighed, shrugging off his teammate's rather heavy hand. "How can he just come back from the dead? Terra killed him!"

"I don't know," Raven replied, a little too quickly. The others stared at the empath oddly. "He doesn't seem like the type to just fall and die. Knowing him, he's a pretty invincible guy."

"No way!" Beast Boy yelled, gratefully dragging the attention off of her. "Terra sacrificed herself to end his life and so he's gone! That's it!"

Starfire uncharacteristically frowned. "We must not talk of this now, friends. Slade is on the loose, so we must stop him!"

The team leader nodded at his comrade's words, walking away from the computer and towards the garage.

Suddenly, the main screen flashed with life. A massive figure filled it up, his familiar lone eye and two-toned mask staring condescendingly down at everyone.

"Slade! What are you up to? What are your plans with the mine?" Robin demanded, his domino mask narrowing into slits as he ran straight to the screen. He wasn't going to waste any time with this vile criminal.

"You're far too predictable, Robin. Why would I tell you my plans?"

The question was similar to that of the one at the beach, Raven realized. She couldn't help but shudder when he discreetly looked at her, a glint in his eye. Her glare at him hardened, but inside she was truly frightened.

"We'll stop you, whatever you're planning," the Boy Wonder spat, already losing his temper. They'd never defeated him before, except for the apprentice incident, but that still didn't mean they couldn't hope to.

"On the contrary, Robin, I think you'll find yourself mistaken," the mastermind replied calmly. "Around the city, I have my robots acquiring some resources I find myself in need of. Of course, Titans, you're welcome to stop me."

The line then cut off.

"Well, that was uneventful," Raven commented, earning a steely glare from Robin. She glared back, the look scaring the leader from his daze.

Without warning, a map lit up the screen. Five different areas glowed with mischief. Of course, each icon bore Slade's infamous insignia.

"Raven, go to the mine and make sure all the workers are safe," Robin ordered, knowing she'd get there the fastest. "Cyborg, check out WayneTech's prototypes. Starfire, protect the bank and money. Beast Boy, the docks have shipments you need to guard."

"What about you?" Cyborg asked.

"I'm going to the jail," he told him.

"Titans, go!"

.

"Robin, yo, Robin!" Cyborg shouted into his communicator.

"Sorry, I'm kinda busy," he replied, distracted. The cybernetic could hear fighting grunts emanating from him. "You got anything?"

"Yes and no. No one's here, but something's been stolen. Some sort of energy shield prototype. I'm gonna check it out. You?"

"I'm fighting the Sladebots, and the putting some of the criminals back in jail. Slade let out some of the low security lock downs. And no, I don't need back up. Stick to your job," Robin commanded. "Other Titans, report!"

"Slade is not at the bank," Starfire said. "It seems a window has been smashed to gain our attention."

"Not here!" Beast Boy added, perched on a flickering lamppost. "But there sure are some kinda shady guys around."

"Nothing," Raven stated. "I've helped out some of the miners, but I'll need to search for more."

"Darn it!" Beast Boy whined suddenly, moving his head around frantically on the camera.

"What is it?" Robin inquired, almost desperately. His drive for victory and fierce protectiveness over the Titans was admirable.

"Slade bots, tons of them!" he exclaimed. "I'm gonna stop them!" His screen faded to black.

"Damn it," Cyborg cursed. "It's like an army heading for me!" He loaded up his sonic cannon, staring menacingly at the machines approaching him. "Sorry, Rob, gotta go kick ass!" His screen flickered off.

"It seems the Sladebots are breaking in!" Starfire announced, her eyes turning green with righteous fury. "I feel a can of the butt-whooping is due!" Her screen switched off.

Lastly, Robin was left staring with Raven. "I'll meet you back in the tower," she told him. "I have to help the miners, bots are after them."

"Be ca-" Her screen shutoff.

.

"Why did you lie to them, Raven? Friends don't lie -"

"Shut up!" she growled at the man, her fist glowing with energy as she punched another robot. The girl couldn't deal with this, not now. Being distracted wasn't an option.

Slade simply stared, watching how she destroyed his army in front of him. This was an excellent way to observe her, and he wasn't at all disappointed. Maybe he was wasting the material used to make the droids, but in his mind it was worth it.

The man looked at her with something resembling unrequited reverence, like a prize he desired or a piece of art. Yes, that was it.

Raven was a painting, a piece of art. She was very defined and strong, yet she was still mysterious and dark. Slade wanted to change this painting and make it his own, but the paint had stayed too long on the canvas to be removed.

How to overcome this? He'd just add a little water. Blur what was known and what was her. Then he'd paint over it. Give it stronger qualities, make it what he wanted. In the end, she'd be better.

Feeling his eye on her, the sorceress turned to glance at him, interrupting his thoughts of grandeur. "I lied because whatever you're planning, it's between me and you! I'm not going to bring them into this."

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!"

The robots were covered in black, lifted quickly to the ceiling and slammed violently back into the ground. Amazingly, some of them crawled back up.

What did Slade build them out of? Titanium? Tungsten? Whatever it was, it was going down.

Suddenly, a whole army of droids entered. Raven's eyes widened. She knew there were far too many for her to defeat on her own. And even if she could destroy them, she wasn't going to give the man a show. Yeah, she knew he was watching her. It was disgusting.

"Why do you want the diamonds anyway?" the empath questioned, stalling as the robots advanced.

The super villain clicked his fingers, causing all the robots surrounding her to simply stop where they were. Shocked and confused at the action, she cautiously kept an eye on all the bots she could. This could be a trap.

"I have no use for diamonds, Raven," he answered patiently.

What kind of an answer was that? If he had no use, then what was the reason for the whole heist? Was he... was he telling her this was all for nothing? That she'd come just to be aggravated? Anger bubbled inside of her.

"Then why are you here?" the sorceress asked, exasperation visible on her face. "The diamonds are the most valuable things in this mine!"

"You stand corrected, my dear."

Again, what kind of an answer was that?

"What?" Her brow raised, confused. What could be more valuable than the diamonds in the mine? Everything else was just rocks and less valuable gems.

He took a step forward. Towards her.

"_You_ are the most valuable thing in this mine," Slade explained, firmly prodding her shoulder. She flinched, an action not unnoticed.

Horrified at his claim, Raven flew safely away from him. Backwards, of course, so her eyes were stuck to his. Once she was up in the air and at what she deemed a protected distance, she stopped.

"You've no need to fear me, Raven," he said, seriously. "I have a feeling we're about to get much closer."

"Wha-"

Abruptly, he clicked his fingers and the sound of a gunshot rang in the air. Her stance relaxed as her limbs relaxed, hanging limply down.

She'd been hit by a stun gun.

And before she knew it, Raven was falling...

_Endlessly..._

And falling...

_Where is the end? _she wondered dazedly, as she fell...

_When is the end?_

And fell...

_Where are the Titans?_

And fell...

_...What does Slade want?_

**_Thud!_**

The girl harshly met the ground, a pained moan eliciting from pale lips, distracting her from her thoughts. Slowly, her eyesight went hazy as unconsciousness called her into it's painless confines.

Futilely, she resisted rest as a figure knelt down beside her and gently pushed her hair off of her sweaty forehead. A pathetic moan yet again escaped her, uncontrollable by the sorceress who wanted to remain strong in the enemy's eye.

"Things are going to be very different from now, Raven," he told her, in a soft, reassuring tone. "But don't worry; you'll be strong enough to make it through." Her eyebrows creased. He wasn't making sense. Incomprehensible mutters came out her mouth.

Slade looked away unexpectedly, before standing up and leaving her sight, which was almost black. A loud explosion rang in her ears, the luridness of it making her eyes flutter shut, as she finally accepted unconsciousness.

"Titans, go!"

* * *

** And so some of the plot has been revealed, but don't be fooled! Predictability is unlikely...**

**Thanks for reading, and please leave a review and any questions if you didn't understand,**

**~SladeRavenFan**


	4. Chapter 4: A Fighting Distraction

**Greetings, all my lovely readers.**

**I'm sorry for the wait. School and other... Distractions are really keeping me from Freedom. But here's the update, even if the chapters a little dull. I haven't even started chapter 5 yet.**

**Thanks to all of you for reviewing; discb, SailorSea, XLucy0117X, chinaluv, gabylokita41, Waterpokemon, Knight of the Raven, Tragon and last but not least, BluEyedLightning. Thanks, you're all amazing! And thanks to all who added to favourites and alerts, or read. I appreciate it.**

**One last thing I need to make clear. My username means I am a fan of Slade, and a fan of Raven. And a fan of Slade and Raven. Not a fan of Slade/Raven. Don't you dare ever expect all my fanfics to be about any of them two. I will write about who I want to, regardless of my username. If you only prefer to read about Slade and Raven, read the summary and I will ALWAYS mention who is in it. Review about the story. Not about, "This person's not in it!"**

**Sigh. Just one of the issues I've encountered.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter Four: A Fighting Distraction

"It was all a distraction," Robin stated, his mask narrowing comically in frustration. He then slammed his fist on the countertop, surprisingly not leaving any indentations.

"Dude, just chill," Beast Boy told his leader, holding his hands out as though he were surrendering.

"_Chill_? You want me to chill?" Robin asked, staring harshly at the younger team member. He exploded. "How can I chill? Slade just sent us on a pointless mission, and I have to figure out why! What are you doing? Nothing, except for telling me to relax!"

Cyborg stood protectively in front of the changeling. His little brother was not going to take this from the very teenager he admired.

"Leave it, man," he suggested, putting his hand on the Boy Wonder's tense shoulder. "BB was just trying to help, and you know how you get about Slade."

Beast Boy gave a thankful nod to the half metal teen, receiving a hasty one in return.

"Fine," the traffic light muttered, the steam from his ears dissipating. "I'm sorry, it's just..." he sighed heavily, "I should've been able to figure it out. Slade didn't even steal anything except for the prototype, and he didn't turn up at all..."

"What do you think he wants?"

Robin shook his head, "I don't know yet. He had that prototype stolen and didn't even hide it. It was a distraction. Something happened... Someone's not telling me something."

"Well, it appears he sent us only the bots of Slade, which must mean he didn't wish for a battle to the death," Starfire pondered.

"How come Raven was injured then?"

"I dunno," Cyborg replied. "When we arrived there sure were too many bots, I'll tell you that. Much more than any of us got, but it's probably 'cause the mine is biggest."

"But why did they not just finish her off when they had the chance?" the Tameranean wondered.

"And why did she end up unconscious?"

One of the Titans looked like they were just about to answer, when the door slid open, successfully interrupting them.

"Gee," the unannounced voice began, sarcasm dripping off of it. "You're even talking about me even when I'm gone. I'm just touched."

"Raven!"

Before she knew it, the pale empath had been pulled into a bone crushing embrace. As her face's hue started to resemble her hair, the enthusiastic alien released her.

She straightened her cloak out before facing her teammates, each of which stared questioningly at her.

"If you guys had questions, you can just ask me. I don't mind."

Robin skeptically eyed her, but couldn't resist asking the query that lingered on everyone's tongues.

"What happened?"

Raven let out a sharp intake of breath. She'd already known that this would happen; that they'd question exactly the thing she wouldn't tell them.

What could she tell them though? Admitting that Slade had appeared, or refusing to answer would arouse suspicion. It might lead to a whole load of other things too, and Raven considered herself to be a reclusively private person.

She sighed yet again, noticing that she may have left too much silence before her answer.

"I had gotten out all the miners and a whole army just came in. I fought most of them, but another wave came. I was distracted and I got shot by a stun gun and fell, okay?"

Guilt made it's presence known to her, as her heart reached out to theirs. Technically, the half demon didn't lie, she had just stretched the truth and maybe left out some major details, but it was hiding the truth... And it felt so wrong.

Cyborg patted her on the shoulder, giving her a kind smile. Just how oblivious he was, - how oblivious they were... It was so unfair.

"Girl, I'm just glad you're fine. You hurting anywhere?"

_Only for you guys... _

Instead of saying what she thought, the dark girl merely shook her head. Her powers must've healed whatever physical injuries she'd sustained. Mentally though? Different answer.

"How'd you find me?"

This time she truly was interested. When awakening within the Tower's medical bay, she'd almost been worried Slade had taken her.

Beast Boy gave a sheepish shrug.

"We finished fighting our Sladebots, and we kinda called you and you didn't answer so we headed over there..."

Simple enough. Made sense.

The silence was unbearable as the seconds dragged on. She felt the sudden urge to be alone in her room with her thoughts. Their worry, concern and suspicion were tugging at her senses, as were their enquiring stares. They knew she was hiding something.

"I'm going back to my room," she announced quietly, with finality in her tone. No one was going to change her mind.

Once in the familiar, almost soothing, surroundings of her room, Raven perched herself on the edge of her bed. She felt so... drained. To think that only a few of his appearances, a few of his words, could affect her as much as they did...

Wasn't she stronger than that?

_You are the most valuable thing in this mine..._

Apparently he thought that... A shudder racked through her body. For him... For Slade to say that, it was downright creepy. And wrong. The context implied it was a compliment, but his tone held a deeper meaning...

"What does he even want from me?" she mumbled, her pale fingers gingerly running over her forehead. Had he really _touched_ it? It had been so gentle... And his tone... so reassuring.

_Things are going to be very different from now, Raven..._

How did he know? How could he know? And why tell _her_? He didn't make any sense. He never did.

_But don't worry; you'll be strong enough to make it through..._

It was disturbing for him to say that _she_ would make it through whatever was going to happen. It meant it would only concern her. After all, if the Titans wouldn't make it through, wouldn't he boast it to her?

"Why does he bother me so much?"

She barely even knew him... Slade just had that quality; to just demand attention and fear. Not to mention the ability to make his words stick in her head. It was infuriating. Keeping stoic and unemotional was getting harder, because of him. She was slipping.

The sorceress grimaced. Obviously thinking was not helping her at all. She felt so useless, thinking about the enigma who was ruining her.

Research. That's what she'd do. Even though Raven would probably find nothing on Slade, she had to try. What kind of a hero would she be if she didn't? Besides, it'd make her feel more useful than brooding in her room.

After noticing the time, she reached out for all the others' auras. Calm. Asleep. _Good_. They just couldn't find out. Not until she deemed it was rignt for them to. With a distracted wave of her hand, she effortlessly appeared within the main room, right in front of the computer.

Opening an inPrivate Window, the girl started by typing in his name.

After ten minutes of fruitless searching, Raven growled. This was pointless. Every time some info seemed to be there, she'd click on the link and find the page deleted. In fact, the only evidence that suggested he existed was when the Titans were up against him in battle.

As she was about to give up, a small window appeared, the bold text glaring at her.

**Curious, are we?**

Him again? Seriously, Slade was such a stalker. Couldn't he just lay off? _Or... Maybe... it wasn't Slade?_

Her pale fingers quickly hopped along the keyboard, dancing on the keys til it formed a short message. Eyes scanned it carefully, checking for mistakes before pressing send.

Who are you, and why are you hacking into the Titans' mainframe?

**Surely you know the answer to that, Raven?**

Her amethyst eyes narrowed, her hopeful look dissipating. It really was him.

What do you want? Someone could see this!

**You really believe I'm that careless? I'm insulted.**

The reply was fast, as if he'd planned his response. She wouldn't put it behind him. Still, a text conversation with him? Trying to imagine him, she saw Slade with a keyboard on his lap and his lone eye staring eagerly at the screen.

A uncontrollable smirk escaped her. Taking a deep breath, Raven pushed the immature thoughts of her head. She needed to focus.

What do you want?

**What do I want? At the moment, that's not important.**

Of course it was important! Why couldn't the man just answer her damn questions? It wasn't _that_ hard.

Just leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you.

**You don't have a choice in the matter. Besides, Raven, with me around; you are never alone.**

I could close this 'chat'.

She'd sent the message faster than she could register, but it was true enough. This talk was wrong in so many ways. He'd just declared that he'd never leave her alone... And it was just... surreal.

**I don't think you will. Admit it; deep down inside, you want to know what I have to say. You're intrigued. Interested**.

Her eyes widened. Raven's grimace returned; Slade was right. She was curious, and not only because she wanted answers.

So what if I am?

**You asked what I want. That doesn't matter now. What do you want?**

What did she want? Was he really asking that question? Even though she knew it was probably staged, the sorceress couldn't resist her answer.

To be left alone, in peace.

**Do you?**

What's your point?

**My dear, you want to be alone, but what's a point of a friend if you want that?**

Her grimace transformed into a frown.

I don't have to answer that.

**You claim that they are your friends, Raven, yet you don't act like they are.**

She stared at the screen. There was no proper answer for that. Slade must've taken her lack of reply as an answer, because soon enough, amother message popped up.

**My dear, what I mean to say is that you don't need friends. You're in love with the idea of being accepted. While some may accept you, think of those who don't. The truth is, Raven, no one will ever fully accept you.**

**The Titans don't. Admit it. They're scared of you. They treat you like you're on a fuse, always cautious. Look past their kindness**.

You're lying.

He had to be.

**Raven, you don't need friends to be accepted.**

Really now? Tell me then, Slade, in your eye, who or what would accept me for who I am?

Raven was more even curious now. The man had just said no one would accept her, and now he'd have to tell her someone. A smug smirk escaped her. The way he was talking, there wasn't anyone. Maybe she'd outsmarted him. But as Raven knew, that'd never happen, because Slade's reply did answer her question perfectly.

She'd asked who would accept her, and Slade said...

**I would.**

* * *

**Thanks for reading and please review. Tell me what you liked, didn't like and anything about the story. Ooh, thanks to my beta XLucy0117X too. And you may have noticed Raven is a little more... Loose. Slade does that to you. Manipulative bastard (this is T Rated). But it's all part of Slade's plot...**

**Til next time, **

**~SladeRavenFan**


	5. Chapter 5: Let's Get It On

**Hello!**

**I know, I know, there's no excuse for me being a month late. Time just flew and I was very busy. But mostly I'll admit, was because I didn't like this chapter. I hope you do. This chapter is the small build up to the next one, which is where Slade's big plan is revealed. And some major action. **

**This has not been looked over by my amazing beta XLucy0117X, coz I didn't want to keep you all waiting that long. **

**Thanks to all who adding to faves, alerts and who reviewed; XLucy0117X, Katwizzle, KitsuneLover300, Egyptiandude990, shelly7rox, chinaluv, SailorSea, BluEyedLightning, The Amethyst Eyes, Knight of the Raven, I'll Cover Angel and Collins, Tragon, breaker99, beardoftheprophet, Midnight Lost and Artemis The Great. Sixteen reviews... I'm so happy. I love you guys. **

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 5: Let's Get it On

"Raven?"

She hadn't even heard him speak until he clicked his green fingers in front of her face. Had she really been so distracted by her thoughts?

Raven turned to face Beast Boy, a calm yet threatening look plastered onto her face. If he didn't have anything to say, he didn't have to say anything at all.

"Uhh, are you okay?" He awkwardly scratched his head. It seemed as if everyone did that around her. "You've been actin' kinda weird these past days, and you seem really tired..."

The changeling watched curiously as worry flashed onto her face, before quickly flicking back to her usual passive mask.

Truthfully she'd stayed up all night analysing the chat box, only to find nothing. She didn't even know what she was looking for, but anything would've been good. A location, a reason, a plot...

She sighed. "I'm fine, Beast Boy."

"Did something happen?"

"I'm fine, Beastboy," she repeated, her voice hardening to warn him of her short temper.

He frowned. Even _he_ could tell Raven was lying. But since it was her, he didn't prod any further. Believe it or not, being thrust through a window was not on it bucket list.

However, Beast Boy was a loyal friend, who couldn't resist laying his hand reassuringly on his teammate's shoulder.

"I'm not stupid," he began. "Even if you think so. Whatever's going on, Rae, it's gonna be fine."

She snorted. "You sound just like Cyborg."

As the changeling literally deflated, the empath discreetly tapped his back before he left. He tilted his head to acknowledge her.

"Thank you, Beast Boy. I've just been having some internal turmoil."

A goofy grin engulfed his face as he marched out the room, not noticing her watching him as he left. He didn't even know what 'internal turmoil' meant. It was probably some girl problem.

Raven truly was grateful. Whatever was going on, she'd have to thank all the Titans for everything they'd given her.

At that very moment, Robin decided to walk in. He noted Beast Boy's jolly humming, before staring incredulously at Raven. She looked almost... content.

"Did something happen?"

The sorceress didn't give an immediate response, instead standing up off the couch and moving towards the cupboard where the herbal tea was stored.

"Curious, Boy Wonder?"

He animatedly shook his head, "You seem happy. I'd just like to know why."

The corners of her lips tilted upwards, not going unnoticed by the World's Greatest Detective's former protege. He himself gave a smile.

"Just feeling good this morning."

"I see," Robin replied, trying to engage his quiet teammate into conversation. "Where are the others?"

Raven opened up her 'sixth sense', feeling the auras of the others gently touch her own, letting her locate their presence.

"Beast Boy's on the roof. Cyborg's in the garage with Star. Why'd you want to know?"

"No reason." From the casualness in his tone, he wasn't lying.

As her mouth opened to speak, the alarm sounded. In a flash, Robin sprinted to the main computer, watching the icon of nightmares blink on the warehouses. The others immediately entered, Starfire gingerly putting Cyborg down while Beast Boy transformed into his human form.

"Who is it?" the cybernetic asked, already knowing who it'd be.

.

"Hello, Titans," Slade jovially greeted, hands comfortably held behind his back, as he stood on the elevated walkway. "Come to join the party?"

"No," Robin scowled. "We've come to crash it. The party's over, Slade, and so are you."

"Pity you're such a party pooper, Robin," the man said with mock regret. "I was sure you'd enjoy it. But for now, I suppose a little persuasion is in order."

Without a moment of hesitation, he leapt from the walkway and landed in a crouch.

"Titans, go!"

Raven nibbled on her lips. She could just tell that he'd leave her for last. That couldn't happen though. The others would be suspicious. So... she'd have to get herself out first. For some reason though, the sorceress couldn't will herself to move.

She stared numbly as Starfire shot starbolts at Slade, only to have him dodge every single one. Eventually, when she was close enough, the alien tackled him.

They wrestled, hands shaking back and forth, yet it was clearly obvious from the struggling that their strength was differing. Slade at a clear disadvantage compared to alien super strength, kicked her in the chest. Not expecting the move, she sailed helplessly into a gear, letting out a grunt as impact was made.

"Yo, leave Star alone!"

Cyborg shot his sonic cannon at him, missing narrowly. A green gorilla landed on the criminal's back, a sharp hit from his elbow knocking Beast Boy off and into the metal man.

Robin sent a uppercut at Slade, as he in return dodged a roundhouse kick. Raven couldn't interfere. With their lightning fast moves, she could hurt her leader by accident.

Their moves were perfectly matched. They dodged and they threw a hit. It was all so... predictable, yet so hard to keep track of when watching. They were both... scary. Suddenly, Slade jumped up onto the walkway, using several mechanisms as steps. Robin followed.

It was like a dance, but it was clear that the mastermind was better. He could predict his opponent's move and effectively plan his own. In one swipe, the Boy Wonder was knocked off the walkway. He landed in front of her, dazed.

Raven checked on him, before flying to the walkway where she knew he was inevitably waiting. True to her thoughts, he stood rigidly in front of her, sending her a subtle nod.

She chanted her mantra, ripping a gear from it's place. Throwing it at Slade, a puff of smoke covered her eyes. He'd triggered a smoke bomb. Hurriedly searching for his presence, she was too late and felt two arms tightly encircle her abdomen.

"Get off of me!" she hissed. The empath let out a burst of power, blowing the villain onto the ground. To Raven's dismay, he was unharmed.

"Not good enough," he chided, sounding disappointed. "You're going to have to do much better than that, Raven."

"Who are you to tell me what to do?" she demanded, aggressively raising her hands, while trying to control the rage she felt inside. Shards of glass floated dangerously next to her, facing the enemy.

He ignored her question, assuming a fighting stance. The half demon waved her hand, and the glass shards charged ahead. Instead of piercing Slade, as she'd intended, they harmlessly shattered on the ground.

How come he could evade every move? How was it possible? She sighed in frustration. He was impossible.

Slade was like some annoying bag that wouldn't stop floating in the wind, a bag that held many secrets and possessions... A bag they couldn't catch because it was simply too fast, and it was simply too unreachable.

Of course, the man wasn't as easily destroyed as a bag, but the main similarities were apparent.

"I suppose you want to know why we keep meeting," he said abruptly, capturing her attention.

"Yeah," she echoed. "And I want to know what you want."

"Good," he replied. "Tomorrow we will meet again, in much more different circumstances than today. All shall be explained then, Raven. Tell your friends if you wish."

To her, it sounded like he was saying a farewell. So he'd get away, scot free. Again. Not on her watch.

Raven wanted to act, but she just couldn't. Slade's stare was so... Piercing. It froze her to the ground. How could she act when he was looking at her like that?

It was as if he was seeing her. The real her, who was cowering on the inside, yet fascinated. Not the masked, stoic exterior of the dark Titan. It was frightening. He looked like there was something more. He looked like he was... Anticipating something. But what?

Time sped up as he sent her a wave, seeming to be smiling. The cogs in her head were too distracted to work. She tiredly nodded, resigned. Nothing could stop him now. Not even her. She allowed herself to sigh, then blink...

And he was gone.

Even though Raven knew he'd be far away by now, she looked around. Nothing. The shadows of her friends suddenly loomed behind her.

"What -"

"He got away."

Without another word, the girl dejectedly teleported back to her room, leaving behind her four bemused teammates. She needed to prepare.

Tomorrow was to be one helluva day.

* * *

**Liked it? Didn't? Tell me. And be nice ;) I'll answer questions. Please review, just one word or a thousand, I don't mind. It's good to get feedback, it's real motivation. Sorry if this chapter is the worst. The next one... Wow. Probably a few thousand words, and major plot action. Get ready folks, and I have Slade and Raven oneshot in the works. For Halloween. Probably dedicated to Tragon, who's been too busy to chat but deserves some good.**

**~SladeRavenFan**


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